Happy Ending
by MagicFairyGirl8
Summary: Sam/Martin post 2:1 The Bus. spoilers for season 2. "Nothing worse than a beautiful woman drinking alone." What happens when Samantha accepts Martin's offer of a drink. Will they find their happy ending? R&R please!
1. Chapter 1

This picks up where 2:1 The Bus left off, and then merges with another key smarty moment so spoilers for season 2. This had been sitting on my computer gathering dust (so to speak) and I finally got round to finishing it. It's Sam/Martin which is not what I usually write but watching these episodes inspired me. Besides, Jack's not going anywhere so...

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Without a Trace except my DVDs and my imagination but I would love to! R&R please! Let me know what you think. Okay enough rambling. Enjoy.

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"Martin?" Samantha called after her colleague's retreating figure.

"Umm." He replied, turning round to look at her.

"You know you said, about, getting a drink sometime?"

"Yeah?"

"Well I could really use a drink."

"Nothing worse than a beautiful woman drinking alone."

"No." She murmured, wiping her eyes. Martin inclined his head, gesturing towards the elevator and Sam grabbed her coat and purse from her desk and walked across the deserted bullpen to where he stood waiting. They made their way down the corridor together, Martin pushing the button for the elevator, and as they went inside his hand moved subconsciously to Samantha's back.

The doors opened and they stepped out into the empty lobby. Once again as the two FBI agents made their way out into the cold evening light, Martin placed his hand on Sam's back, only this time she acknowledged its presence with a smile. He felt so comfortable with her, and especially glad that she had decided to open up to him.

Samantha Spade the FBI agent was strong and always kept her emotions in check; it was a rare thing indeed for anyone to be allowed to get so close, and so for this Martin was grateful. Ever since he had first laid eyes on her, first seen her at work, he had longed to get just a glimpse of the other side of Samantha, the side she kept locked away and hidden, the side that she never wanted to share. But now Sam had decided to let people in, slowly and carefully of course, and it was Martin who she had chosen to share her dark secrets with.

They stopped in the doorway and while Martin clocked the two of them out of the building, Sam pulled on her coat.

"So where d'you wanna go?" She asked as they exited the FBI headquarters and headed out into the street.

"There's that new bar round the corner, s'posed to be quite good." Martin answered. "Shall we check it out?"

"Sounds great." replied Samantha. The November chill was evident in the air, and they pulled their coats around themselves as they set off along the pavement. Breath cloudy in the air, Sam said:

"I'm glad those kids were ok." Martin glanced sideways at her.

"Yeah, Danny said they were shaken up but unharmed." He paused before continuing. "Must've been a pretty tough case to come back to after-" his voice trailed off.

"I guess, but you just, you know, have to get back in there." Sam replied and, feeling his eyes on her went on "You agree with Jack don't you? You think I came back too soon!"

"No Sam I don't. It's just..."

"Just what Martin? Just the fact that I've been shot meant I handled the case badly? Is that what you think?" Samantha had stopped walking now and was glaring at Martin intently.

"No Sam you know that's not what I think. I was there in the park with you during that shooting remember? And if I had been in your position I would have done exactly the same thing." He said, also standing still facing her. "And that's exactly what I told Jack." He added as an afterthought.

Samantha had opened her mouth to say something but changed her mind so closed it, then opened it again and said: "Oh." Then she said "I'm sorry Martin, I don't know why I went off on one like that at you." She dropped her gaze. "I'm so sorry." She repeated. Martin stared at her for a moment, before reaching out a hand and touching Samantha's arm. She looked up and saw concern and understanding etched in his pale face. Sam was about to say something when an icy breeze whistled down the street, making her shiver.

"Come on let's get to that bar." Martin said quietly. "It's freezing out here." They set off again and as they walked Martin slipped his arm around Sam's shoulders, and she gratefully moved in closer to him.

The Madison Bar was only two blocks away from the office so, not surprisingly, when Martin and Sam entered they spotted a number of other Bureau employees sitting at the bar or huddled round tables. They chose a small table in one corner and while Martin went over to the bar to order their drinks, Samantha slipped her coat off her shoulders and draped it round the back of her chair before sitting down. She swept her hair out of her face and sat staring at her interlocked fingers on the table, waiting for Martin to come back. Within a couple of minutes he had returned carrying a glass of white wine for Sam and a beer for himself. Setting the glasses down on the surface between them, Martin took the seat opposite Sam.

They sipped their drinks in silence for a few minutes before Martin spoke up:

"Today was tough- on all of us."

"So you don't think-"

"No I don't think you weren't ready to come back, you acted the same today as you would have done before the shooting." Martin continued. "Right, Sam?"

"Yeah, no of course." Samantha answered. She paused, then went on. "It's just, I can't help but think that maybe, you know, I might have been..." she trailed off, staring down at her glass.

"Sam, you can't expect to go through what you've been through and just get back to your old self straight away. It's going to take time, but I know that you have the strength to do it, I really do." Martin said, and as if to show Sam how much he believed in her, he reached out his hand and took hers. The effect of Martin's words combined with his touch made Sam's heart jump, and she looked up at him and smiled.

She felt her cheeks flush as he returned the smile, and he squeezed her hand. Only after several seconds had passed did Martin remove his hand from on top of hers. He reached, instead, for his beer and took a long swig, while Samantha sipped her wine, her eyes never leaving his face. Martin put his glass back on the table and leaned back in his chair, still watching Samantha intently, with a pleasant smile on his lips. Sam finished drinking and cradled the glass in her hands.


	2. Chapter 2

The two of them sat at their little table in the Madison Bar for the next hour, sipping their drinks and chatting about work, news, television programs, the other agents in their team- particularly Danny and his latest girlfriend- and any other office gossip that was doing the rounds on their floor. The room soon began to steadily empty, as people headed home to their families, partners, or in some cases, a friend's couch. Martin and Samantha drained the last of their drinks, paid and left. The dark street was practically deserted as they stepped out of the bar, and definitely devoid of- looking up and down- cabs; there wasn't a single one in sight, while the odd movements of traffic consisted solely of cars.

They decided to walk up town a bit in the hope of having more luck in flagging down a cab. It was really cold by now, so Samantha was pressed against Martin's side with his arm around her shoulders once more. After five minutes stood waving at every cab that went past (and that was only two) at last one seemed to have noticed them and pulled up. Martin opened the door, indicating that Sam should take it but she shook her head.

"You don't know how long it'll take you to get another one; you might be stuck here for ages." Sam stated. "Come on. We'll share."

"But I live way up town." Martin said. "And you live-"

"I know." Sam said softly, her eyes shining. In response, Martin slid into the cab next to her, grinning. Samantha gave her address to the driver then sat back against her seat, before turning to Martin. "I thought you might want a coffee..." she said. "...to help warm you up." Martin smiled at her again.

"Sounds like an idea." He said quietly, taking her hand in his and stroking her cold fingers. Sam, her head turned towards him, closed her eyes as he continued to caress her fingers, rubbing them between his palms. She leaned in closer and rested her head on his shoulder as the cab swung round a corner. Without thinking about what he was doing, Martin tilted his face downwards towards her, and kissed her softly on her temple. He watched her chest rise and fall as she breathed, and felt himself relax; being with her felt so right.

The cab stopped on Sam's street and, somewhat reluctantly, Sam sat up and leaned forward to pay the driver. She then opened the door of the cab and climbed out, Martin close behind her. They went past the doorman into the small lobby of Sam's apartment building and headed over to the elevator. This time it was Samantha who pressed the little gold button to call the elevator down to the ground floor. When the door opened they stepped inside and Sam pressed the number of her floor.

Up on the eighth floor the doors opened again and the two of them stepped out into the hallway. Samantha led the way to her front door and fumbled with the key, conscious of Martin's presence behind her, his breath on her neck, his hand on her back. After a moment Sam managed to unlock the door and led the way inside. Martin gazed around interestedly at his new surroundings while Samantha closed the door behind the two of them.

She headed over to the kitchen area which was on the right, and began making coffee. Martin looked around at the living area straight ahead of him, noticing also the small corridor on his right that, he guessed, led to the bathroom and Sam's bedroom. Turning around he saw Samantha was busy in the kitchen so he sat down on the sofa to wait.

"Nice place you've got here." He called.

"Thanks." She replied, over the whirring of the machine. Sam made two mugs of coffee and brought them over to where Martin was sitting on the couch.

"Thanks Sam." Martin said, smiling, as he took the drink from her. Samantha sat down next to him, holding the mug in her hands. They drank their coffee (slowly at first because it was hot) and chatted; Martin commenting on Sam's apartment and thanking her for the nice evening he was having, and Sam asking after his cousins and assuring him that she was having just as nice a time.

The two, now empty mugs, rested on the coffee table, and Sam found herself relaxing more and more. Without realising it, they had moved closer to each other, closing the gap, the distance between the two of them. Samantha had her legs curled up on the couch with her knees touching Martin's leg, while he had his arm trailing along the couch back, the fingers of his right hand gently playing with Sam's hair. Her hands were clasped together in her lap, her fingers occasionally brushing against his thigh.

Martin felt like the luckiest guy in the world; Samantha Spade, the most amazingly beautiful FBI agent ever, and the woman of his dreams, was sat curled up next to him; he was in her apartment, on her couch, playing with her gorgeous long blonde hair...

Samantha was so incredibly happy right now; Martin Fitzgerald, the strong, handsome man who just happened to be the love of her life, was in her apartment, sitting on her couch; he was playing with her hair...

Sam hadn't thought she would feel happy again for a very long time. It had been so hard to get over Jack; it might have just been an affair to him, but for her- Sam had been in love with him. But he was her boss, and he was married, she had known it couldn't work, but she couldn't help herself, she had fallen for him. And when he had told her it was over, it had hurt. A lot. She had felt so alone, abandoned by Jack, but now she realised that Martin wanted to be there for her, well he always had been, but now she felt ready to let him in- to stop pushing him away. And Sam knew now was the perfect moment to show Martin how she felt.

Martin noticed that Sam had been quiet for a couple of minutes now. Not that he minded, he liked the fact that they felt so comfortable in each other's company, but he was wondering what she was thinking about- he hoped it was him, because he was definitely thinking about her.

Samantha knew what she wanted- and that was Martin. She moved closer to him, her hands leaving her lap and resting on his chest. He looked up at her and saw that Sam was not looking at him, but at her hands. He looked down too, and watched as her fingers moved over his shirt, then began undoing the buttons. Martin had to remind himself to breathe as his breath threatened to catch in his chest. He exhaled, perhaps a little too heavily than was necessary, but Samantha took this to mean he wanted this too, just as much as she did.

Martin's hand left her hair and slid slowly down her back where she had sat up, away from the back of the couch, while Sam continued to undo his shirt buttons, her hands lightly stroking his chest as she did so. He rubbed her back and Samantha moved even closer, so their faces were practically touching. Eventually, Sam shifted her gaze from her hands on Martin's chest to his face. He leaned in closer and she slid her hands up his chest and slipped them around his neck, before finally closing the remaining distance between them. Her lips met his, softly at first, but then more passionately as she felt his hands slide down her back to her hips and he pulled her closer. Samantha pressed her body against his, and their kiss intensified as her lips parted and his tongue caressed hers.

After was felt like eternity, but not nearly long enough, they broke apart, gasping for air. Sam smiled before leaning in and kissing Martin again. Rising together from the couch they stumbled, arms wrapped around each other and mouths hardly breaking contact, towards Sam's bedroom...

Waking up in Martin's arms the next morning was the moment that made Sam the happiest she'd been in a long time. This felt so right, and she realised then that she never wanted it to end, and the look in Martin's eyes told her that he felt exactly the same way. Thinking as well back to the positive end to the case yesterday, Sam smiled; it was nice to have a happy ending once in a while. And two on the same night, well, she thought, that's got to be a record- cause for a celebration, don't you think? ...


End file.
